Pipe-clamp and ground connection for outlet-boxes.



w. A. BONNELL PIPE CLAMP AND GROUND CONNECTION FOR OUTLET BOXES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 30, 1912.

1 ,1 83,625. Patented May 16, 1916.

wi tmzooeo Um; Q @223 WILLIAMA. BONNELL, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

7 .IE'IPE-GLAMP AND GROO'ND CONNECTION FOB OUTLET-BOXES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 16, 1916.

Application filed November 30, 1912. Serial No. 784,353.

To all whom z't may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. BoNNELL,

a citizen of the United States, and resident of Brooklyn, in the countyof Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Pipe-Clamps and Ground Connections for Outlet-Boxes;

and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof.

My invention relates to a box holder and grounding pipe clamp forelectrical outlet boxes.

The object of the invention is to provide a clamp by which the outletbox may be adjustably held on agas or other pipe to which the outlet boxis to be attached.

The invention has further for its object to provide a construction ofclamp and holder which will close the opening around the pipe andbetween the pipe and the sides of the aperture in the outlet box throughwhich it passes.

A further object is to utilize the clamp as a connection for groundingthe box on the pipe.

With these objects in View, the invention 7 is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings,

in which Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view of an outlet boxshowing the pipe and clamp in elevation and before the clamp is expandedto hold the parts together. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showingthe pipe in operative or expanded position. Fig. 3 is a View similar toFig. 2, but showing clamping members in section; Figs. 4: and 5 areperspective views of the complemental parts of the clamp.

In a device of this character, it is desirable that the box may besecured at any desired position relative to the pipe and my inventionprovides a very simple means by which this may be accomplished and atthe same time by which other advantages hereinafter explained may beobtained.

To this end the invention comprises an' ordinary form of outlet box 1having the conduit receiving apertures 2 and a pipe receiving aperture3. The latter in this form of box is of considerable diameter in orderto accommodate pipes of different sizes. The outlet box is placed overthe end of the pipe 4 and is slipped along the same to the desiredposition My improved clamp as illustrated in Figs. 4: and 5, comprisestwo substantially half cylindrical members 5 and 6, each of which 1 1sprovided with a reduced portion 7 below which is a head or shoulder 8.The reduced portion and bead thus forming a channel adapted to engagethe edge of the aperture 3 when the clamp is in position. Themember 5 isprovided with hinge notches 9 and with the substantially tangentialflattened inner surfaces 10; The member 6 is pro vided with the hingedlugs 11 and with the flattened surfaces 12 so that when the lugs 11engage the hinge slots 9 the parts will be hinged together with theflattened surfaces 12 of the part 6 embraced within the fiattenedsurfaces 10 of the member 5. The inner sides of the flattened surfaces10 are provided with shoulders 13 against which the edges 14: of themember 6 abut, so that the parts will be held in alinement or intubular. form when in inoperative position.

Extending from the side wall. of the member 6 is a threaded screw lug 14for the reception of the screw 15 which passes through said lug in theside wall of member 6 and is adapted to engage the pipe to clamp thepipe in position when the beaded ends of the members are engaged withinthe pipe receiving aperture of the outlet box. As will be seen from aninspection of Fig. 1, this pipe receiving aperture is of suificientdiameter to permit the beaded edges 8 of the clamping members to slipthrough it when the clamp members are in inoperative tubular position.The inner end of the clamping screw 15 passes through the inner wall ofthe clamping member 6 substantially midway of the length of the clamp orpossibly slightly nearer the beaded end than the hinged end thereof, sothat when the screw is turned up against the pipe 4 the beaded ends ofthe clamp will be expanded causing the inner edges of the hinged endsthereof to snugly engage the pipe and close all openings between it andthe clamping members and the reduced or channel portions of the clampingmembers will engage the edge of the pipe receiving aperture 3 of theoutlet members opposite them form stop shoulders for engaging the inneredge of the apertures at the inner and outer sides of the box to holdthe box rigidly against slipping along the pipe in either direction.

Thus, it will be seen, these complemental clamping members serve notonly as adjustable means to clamp the box upon the pipe at any point,but the inner and hinged ends of said members snugly close around thepipe as shown in Fig. 3, and the opposite or beaded ends of the clampingmembers snugly engage the edge of the pipe receiving aperture ofaperture. At the same time the clamping member form a groundingconnection be tween the pipe. and the box. Furthermore, the sectionalform of the clamp and the construction and arrangement of the hingedlugs and walls make it possible to clasp these clamping members readilyaround the pipe at any point, engage them together by slipping the lugsinto the slots and to slide the engaged members along the pipe andthrough the pipe receiving opening in the outlet box or to slip theoutlet box over the beaded ends of the clamping member. Also by simplyloosening the screw 15, the clamping member and the box may be removedto any desired position along the pipe and if it is necessary to pass ajoint in the pipe the clamping members may be removed and the boxslipped over such junction since the diameter of the opening in the boxwill usually be sulficient to pass such junction. The clamping membersmay be then clasped about the pipe and the box secured in the desiredposition.

While I have herein described the particular embodiment of my invention,it is to be understood that it may be varied in details of constructionand relative arrangement of parts within the scope of the appendedclaims.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination with anoutlet box having a pipe receiving aperture, of complemental hingedclamping members adapted to embrace the pipe within the edge of saidaperture, and means to cause adjacent ends of said members to snuglyengage the pipe and the opposite adjacent ends to engage Within the edgeof said aperture.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with anoutlet box having a pipe receiving aperture, of complemental clampingmembers hinged together at one end and adapted to embrace the pipe andto have their adjacent ends inserted between the pipe and the edge ofsaid aperture, and means to cause said adjacent ends of said clampingmembers to snugly engage the edgeof said aperture and to cause saidmembers to clamp the pipe.

the box and eifectually close this 7 opposite ends to engage the edge ofsaid 1113- erture to hold the box adjustable on said pipe to form aground connection between the box and said pipe.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination with anoutlet box having a pipe receiving aperture, of a pair ofsemicylindrical clamping members having respectively hinge lugs andhinge sockets at adjacent ends and having stop shoulders at theiropposite end respectively, of means for expanding said opposite ends ofsaid members Within said aperture to cause said stop shoulders to engagesaid aperture at the inner and outer sides of the box and to cause thehinged ends of the clamping members to snugly engage the pipe toadjustably clamp said box on said pipe and to close all openings betweenthe pipe and the edge of said aperture.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination with anoutlet box having a pipe receiving aperture, of substantiallysemicylindrical clamping members, each having flat surfaces adjacenttheir meeting edges whereby the edges of one may be clasped within theedges of the other to permit the members to assume a tubular form, saidmembers respectively having hinged lugs and hinged slots atcorresponding ends whereby they may be hinged together around said pipe,the opposite ends of said members each having a reduced portion and abead adapted to be received between the pipe and the edge of said boxaperture and a clamping screw passing through the wall of one of saidmembers and adapted to engage the pipe to force the hinged ends of saidmembers snugly against the pipe and to force the beaded ends of saidmembers snugly against the edge 0t said box apertures to adjustablyclamp the box on said pipe to close the openings between said pipe andthe edge of said aperture and to close the opening between said clampingmembers and said pipe and to form a ground connection between said pipeand said box.

6. In a device-of the character described, the combination with anoutlet box having a pipe receiving aperture, of a pair of clampingmembers adapted to be separably hinged together around the pipe andadapted at adjacent ends tobe received between said pipe and the edge ofsaid aperture, said ends having flanges or beads adapted to engage theedge of said apertures, means for clamping said adjacent ends of saidmembers firmly within the edge of said aperture, and the opposite endsagainst said pipe.

In a device of the character described, the combination with an outletbox having a pipe receiving aperture, of semicylindrical clampingmembers one having substantially tangential flat surfaces on its innerside adjacent its longitudinal edges and the other having substantiallytangential flat surfaces at its outer side adjacent its longi tudinaledges whereby the parts may be placed together to assume a tubular formwith said fiat surfaces in contact, one of said members having hinginglugs and the other having hinging notches at adjacent ends, said membershaving respectively stop shoulders at their opposite ends and a clampingscrew passing through one of said members and adapted to engage the pipeto cause said hinged ends to snugly embrace the pipe and to cause theopposite ends to snugly engage the edges of said aperture with said stopshoulders lying at opposite sides of the adjacent wall of the box toclamp the box to the pipe to close all openings between the box and saidpipe and between the pipe and said clamping members and to form a groundconnection between said box and said pipe.

In testimony whereof, I the said WILLIAM A. BONNELL have hereunto set myhand.

WILLIAM A. BONNELL.

